For summer vegetables on a patio, try a fabric grow bag first. Check it for water every day until you learn how fast it dries.
Start with the VIVOSUN 5 gallon bags with handles, which suit herbs, lettuce and cherry tomatoes.
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The five, at a glance:
- VIVOSUN 5 gallon grow bags with handles, 5-pack: herbs, lettuce, a cherry tomato.
- JERIA 7 gallon grow bags, 12-pack: a dwarf tomato or pepper, with bags to spare.
- JNYONG 10 gallon grow bags, 12-pack: a large tomato or pepper, one plant per bag.
- SORANGEUN 15 gallon potato grow bags, 2-pack: potatoes, with two flaps for checking the crop.
- Smart Pots Big Bag Bed Junior: a small fabric bed instead of single bags.
VIVOSUN 5 gallon grow bags with handles, 5-pack
Herbs, lettuce or one cherry tomato on a patio, in a bag with handles you can carry.
VIVOSUN 5-Pack 5 Gallon Grow Bags with Handles
300g thickened nonwoven fabric
Handles sewn on with serger stitches
Check the Amazon price
University of Maryland Extension lists 2 gallons as the minimum for a cherry tomato. It lists 2 to 5 gallons for small herbs, so a 5 gallon bag meets both.
The handles are sewn on with serger stitches to hold a full bag of soil.
- Not needed if
- A large tomato or pepper (that is the 10 gallon bag)
JERIA 7 gallon grow bags, 12-pack
A dwarf tomato or pepper, or a patio that needs many bags at once.
JERIA 12-Pack 7 Gallon Grow Bags with Handles
300G thickened nonwoven fabric
Built-in handles, folds for storage
Check the Amazon price
Dwarf varieties of pepper, eggplant and tomato need 4 to 6 gallons of growing media at minimum, so a 7 gallon bag clears that.
It falls short of the 8 to 10 gallons that large vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers need.
- Not needed if
- A large tomato or pepper (the 10 gallon bag)
JNYONG 10 gallon grow bags, 12-pack
A large tomato or pepper, one plant per bag.
JNYONG 12-Pack 10 Gallon Non-Woven Grow Bags
Thickened non-woven polypropylene
Aeration channels, wide handle
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At 10 gallons, this bag meets the 8 to 10 gallons of growing media that large vegetables need. That covers tomatoes, pepper, eggplant, cucumber and winter squash, one plant per container.
JNYONG says the polypropylene is BPA-free, the bags can be reused year after year, and aeration channels keep roots from tangling. A wide handle makes them easy to move.
- Not needed if
- Herbs or lettuce (the 5 gallon bags hold enough)
SORANGEUN 15 gallon potato grow bags, 2-pack
Potatoes, where you want to check the crop without digging the whole bag out.
SORANGEUN 15 Gallon Potato Grow Bags, 2-Pack
Two Velcro flaps for checking and harvesting
500G fabric, 15 in wide by 20 in tall
Check the Amazon price
SORANGEUN gives each bag two Velcro windows and says they let you monitor and harvest potatoes without disturbing the roots. Each bag is 15 inches wide and 20 inches tall, with reinforced handles.
- Not needed if
- Herbs, lettuce or a single small plant (the 5 gallon bags)
Smart Pots Big Bag Bed Junior
A small herb or vegetable bed on a patio instead of separate bags.
Smart Pots Big Bag Bed Junior Fabric Raised Bed
Unfold, fill and grow
Air-prunes roots, 7.1 feet of growing space
Check the Amazon price
Smart Pot lists the bed as unfolding, filling and planting, with no assembly. It gives 7.1 feet of growing space, enough for an herb garden or a small vegetable or flower garden.
- Not needed if
- One plant (any single bag above)
Fabric or plastic, row by row
Fabric bags air-prune roots, so they branch into a denser, fibrous root system.
- Drying out: a fabric bag holds no excess water, VIVOSUN says. A plastic pot dries more slowly than clay, concrete or wood.
- Lifespan: a fabric bag is reusable, and VIVOSUN says it lasts years. Plastic not made for outdoor use can become brittle.
What size bag for which crop
Match the bag to the plant at full size. Find the crop in the table.
| Your pots and space | Start with this |
|---|---|
| Herbs, lettuce or one cherry tomato | VIVOSUN 5 gallon grow bags with handles, 5-pack |
| A dwarf tomato or pepper, many bags needed | JERIA 7 gallon grow bags, 12-pack |
| A large tomato or pepper, one plant per bag | JNYONG 10 gallon grow bags, 12-pack |
| Potatoes | SORANGEUN 15 gallon potato grow bags, 2-pack |
| A small bed of herbs or vegetables | Smart Pots Big Bag Bed Junior |
Large herbs such as rosemary, sage, parsley and lavender need 5 gallon pots or larger, Maryland says.
Plan the watering and size before you fill the bags
Check a fabric bag for water every day in summer until you know how fast it dries. Maryland advises a daily check for any container.
Containers in full sun dry out faster than those in shade, and small ones dry out faster than large ones.
To learn the signs of a thirsty plant, read how often to water container plants. It also covers what makes pots dry out faster.
For a plant these bags do not cover, check the 1 to 2 inch rule and sizes for tomatoes, peppers and herbs. For one tomato plant, growing tomatoes in pots covers varieties, sun, support, watering and feeding.
Reusing the bags
Fabric bags are reusable. At the end of the season, empty each bag and fold it flat for storage.
